Recip Saw Product Guide

For this week's review I got a hold of a Porter Cable Tiger Saw, the PR85TRSOK. This saw beckons potential buyers with its low price from the shelves of home centers around the US. I bought one so you don't have to. Let's take a look at what the Tiger Saw can do in the Hingmy workshop.

The Porter Cable PR85TRSOK Recip Saw

The PR85TRSOK, or Tiger Saw, is a general purpose recip saw from Porter Cable. Lighter and less powerful than a

One of the most important aspects of reviewing tools for the community is finding tools that not only perform, but also don't break the bank. No one wants to overpay and use an industrial tool for a small project. The Bosch RS7 is a hot contender for being a great steal. It comes with the Bosch name, good stats, and a very attractive price. Let's take a look at what the RS7 brings to the table.

DeWalt recently release a new compact reciprocating saw. The DWE357 takes the established reciprocating saw design and shrinks it down to 14.5" of length. With the motor installed at an angle this saw can go where few other saws can. Let's take a look at what the DWE357 can do and if it is a better reciprocating saw.

The DW304PK is the smallest of DeWalt reciprocating saws. It lacks a few of the features of its bigger brothers, but it is still a very powerful and capable reciprocating saw. I have the DW303, the predecessor to the DW304PK. Its nearly identical to the new DW304PK. Let's take a look at what makes the DW304PK work.

Overview

A reciprocating saw, or recip saw, is a cut-off tool most often used for demolition or other rough work. Equipped with the correct blade a recirocating saw can cut through wood, metal, and tile.

Features

Large Motor

A large motor greatly speeds up the cutting speed of the saw. Demolition saws have some of the largests motors found on hand-held tools. That power is necessary to make the saw manageable during an all-day job. Small saws tend to produce excessive vibrations when they are used for rough work.

Orbital motion

The tip of the blade of a saw equipped with this feature moves in an oval patter. This increases the cutting speed of the saw, but produces a rougher finish.

Vibration Isolation

Due to the way they cut recip saws have the potential to create a lot of vibration. If you ever handled one you know that the saw can be painful to hold after a few minutes.

Some saws come equipped with an active vibration dampening mechanism. The effectiveness of this feature varies from saw to saw.

Shopping Guide

1) Choose a Motor Size

Recip saws are all about size. The small ones make fine, controlled cuts one at time. The large ones are demolition monsters that cut anything in front of them. It is important to choose a saw that fits your usage scenario.

If you do primarily demolition work, a large recip saw is the better choice. The mass of the tool dampens vibrations more efficiently. Smaller saws, on the other hand, are much easier to use.

The motor size indirectly selects the size of the saw.

2) Choose a Stroke Length

A saw with a longer stroke is going to cut faster. More teeth make contact with the workpiece with each stroke. This effect is very pronounced. The leaders in this category can cut up to twice as fast as the laggards.

A longer stroke usually leads to more vibration and less control. A medium stroke is the better choice for situations where a fine cut is required. Plumbers usually prefer a saw with a 3/4" stroke.